Hill family says thank you

October 1, 2010

The Hill family would like to say thank you to everyone that has supported us in so many ways during our difficult time. A very big thank you goes out to all those who contributed to the benefit held on Sunday, September 26, which would include the merchants and friends that donated to the silent auction, merchants and friends that donated to the meal, and others that helped with our benefit. We want to also thank Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for their supplemental funds. In addition, all of the prayers and thoughts for us have been greatly appreciated.

Eric, Danielle, Kendra, Kylee, Adriana and Liam

Citizen disappointed by homecoming vandalism

To the EDN:

To the citizens of Estherville,

I am disheartened to hear that the students of ELCHS are allowed to break the laws with no regard to others just because it is homecoming time. I know the people of Estherville work hard to have a home and to raise their families. No one should come home to having their property or home vandalized by toilet paper, eggs on their homes/cars and spray paint on their property.

I have now lost confidence in our police department since they are not "protecting or serving" the community. If someone calls the police due to kids breaking the law, they are supposed to investigate and stop the violence. However, it seems this goes on deaf ears. The high schoolers are lucky that no one holds them accountable or has taken the law into their own hands. It is obvious that the parents don't care to raise their children or teach them to be Christian citizens. It seems that the high schoolers have no problem breaking the law and disrespecting the community.

Where are the adults that are suppose to teach the kids to respect, honor and make good decisions. The principal has decided not to take any actions in enforcing rules or laws to his athletes. The coaches don't teach their athletes about any of these values nor are they holding them accountable. I thought high school sports were supposed to teach you teamwork, goal setting and the importance of hard work. It is suppose to teach you the importance of the community by doing fundraisers and giving back. Instead these kids are choosing to destroy people's property with disregard to the future. I wonder what the youth of today will become with no one enforcing the rules or law. I pray that someone stands up and teaches these kids to honor, respect and appreciate their community. I have decided not to support the ELCHS athletics department or any future fundraiser due to the kids decisions to vandalize. I ask the citizens of Emmet County to do the same.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative (Iowa Lakes) has been the wholesale electricity provider to the City of Estherville since 1998. Prior to 1998, the City was sending your money for the cost of purchased power to an entity that was not local or Iowa based.

No one is more sensitive or sympathetic to rate increases than myself as Iowa Lakes is not only a wholesale provider to the City, but a retail provider of electricity to thousands of homes, businesses and farms in Northwest Iowa.

Currently, billions of dollars are being invested in new generation resources to meet the future needs of electric consumers for the next 10 years; as well as millions of dollars being spent every year to provide the latest equipment retrofits and technology upgrades to capture as much of the environmental pollutants from coal as possible.

Add to these costs, the costs to add intermittent renewable wind energy and energy efficiency or conservation measures as being required or strongly encouraged by state and federal legislation, electric utilities like Estherville Municipal and Iowa Lakes, have no choice but to raise rates to the electricity consumer.

Take into consideration future environmental restrictions being proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, "Cap and Trade "legislation to try and capture future carbon emissions and/or require a renewable energy standard, electricity prices have nowhere to go but up.

Unfortunately for the next three to four years, from 2011-2014, electricity consumers for Estherville Municipal and Iowa Lakes will continue to experience rate increases. The electric utility industry is currently an industry in a significant transition phase due to the uncertainty of many issues surrounding and affecting our industry.

So the better question to ask the citizens of Estherville would have been, "What are you doing to control your individual electricity bill?"

Has the electric consumer implemented energy efficiency measures, such as CFL or LED light bulbs, replaced energy inefficient appliances, caulked and added more insulation? Has the electric consumer changed their personal electricity consumption behavior by deferring higher electric loads like a dishwasher or clothes dryer? I am confident that both Estherville Municipal and the Iowa Lakes employee teams will continue to provide the citizens of Estherville and the member-owners of Iowa Lakes with safe, reliable and affordable electricity while being environmentally sensitive as a good corporate citizen to those we serve.